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Skirt steak sandwiches, served on a wooden cutting board.

Skirt Steak Sandwich Recipe

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  • Author: Adam Wojtow
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Rest Time: 0 to 4 hours
  • Cook Time: 1 hour 15 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
  • Yield: 3 to 4 servings

Description

This skirt steak sandwich is packed with flavor. Thin slices of perfectly seared steak, caramelized onions, sauteed mushrooms, melted provolone, creamy mustard aioli, and ciabatta. It takes a bit of time to make, mostly because of the onions, but the result is absolutely worth it. Once you have the ingredients prepped, it comes together fast, and you can use any leftovers to make another one later.

Ingredients

For Steak:

  • 1 to 1 1/2 pounds (454 to 680 grams) skirt steak.
  • 5-10g kosher salt
  • 1–2 tablespoons (15–30 ml) high-smoke-point oil (I prefer the refined avocado oil).

For the Caramelized Onions:

  • 3 tablespoons (45 ml) oil (I use refined avocado oil).
  • 1 1/2 pounds (680 grams) of large, peeled and finely sliced onions (preferably yellow onions).
  • 1/2 teaspoon (2-3 g) kosher salt.

For the Sauteed Mushrooms:

  • 1/2 pound (about 227 g) mushrooms (I use white mushrooms).
  • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) oil (I use refined avocado oil).

For Mustard Aioli Sauce:

  • 1 cup (about 220-240 g) mayonnaise.
  • 2 tablespoons (30 g) mustard (I prefer Dijon mustard).
  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice.
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped, grated, or minced.
  • about 1/2 teaspoon (3 g) kosher salt to taste. 

For Sandwich:

  • 4–8 small to medium ciabatta rolls (around 50–125 g each).
  • 4 ounces (113 g) provolone cheese, sliced thin.
  • 50 g of fresh arugula.

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Skirt Steak: Pat the skirt steak dry with paper towels and trim off any excess fat. If it’s a whole, long piece, cut it into smaller steaks about 4–6 inches (10–15 cm) long.
  2. Once the steaks are ready, season both sides lightly with kosher salt (not too much, since skirt steak is a relatively thin cut). Place them on a wire rack set over a baking sheet, then refrigerate uncovered for 2–4 hours. Remove the steaks from the refrigerator at least 20 minutes before cooking and let them rest at room temperature. While the steaks rest, prepare the caramelized onions, sauteed mushrooms, and mustard aioli.
  3. Caramelize the Onions: Trim off the top and root ends of the onions, then cut them in half. Peel them, remove the first outer layer, and place each half flat-side down. Slice them finely. Heat a 10– to 12-inch (25– to 30–cm) skillet over medium heat for about 1-2 minutes. Then, add the oil and let it heat for an additional minute. Once the oil is hot and shimmering, add the onions and salt. Saute for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they start to soften. Then reduce the heat to medium-low and keep cooking, stirring every few minutes, until the onions are very soft and deep golden brown. If they start sticking to the bottom or look like they might burn, add about 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of water, scrape up the browned bits with a spatula, and continue cooking. Add a little more water whenever needed to prevent burning.
  4. The total cooking time depends on the amount of onions you’re using and your stove, but for about 1.5 pounds (680 g) of onions, it usually takes around 45-60 minutes. While the onions cook, I recommend making the mustard aioli sauce first, then sauteing the mushrooms in another pan. It’ll save you a lot of time overall.
  5. Saute the Mushrooms: Slice the mushrooms into 1/4 to 1/2 inch (0.6–1.3 cm) thick pieces. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat for 1–2 minutes, then add 2–3 tablespoons of oil. Let the oil heat for about a minute, then add the mushrooms. Cook them, stirring occasionally, until they’re soft and browned all over (about 15 minutes). Once done, remove the mushrooms from the pan and set them aside in a container for later.
  6. Make the Mustard Aioli Sauce: Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl: 1 cup of mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons of mustard, 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice, and 2 garlic cloves (finely chopped, grated, or minced). Season with kosher salt to taste, then set the sauce aside for later use.
  7. Pan-Sear the Skirt Steak: If you’ve refrigerated the salted steak, take it out at least 20 minutes before cooking. Once it’s ready, preheat a skillet (preferably a cast-iron skillet) over medium-high heat for 3 minutes. Add the oil and let it heat for about 1 minute. Once the pan is hot and the oil is shimmering, pat the skirt steak dry again with paper towels. Next, carefully place the steak in the pan and start searing.
  8. For steaks about 1/2 to 1 inch (1.3–2.5 cm) thick, cook while flipping every 30 seconds. Use a meat thermometer and remove the steak when it’s about 10–15°F (5–8°C) below your target doneness (see notes for temperature chart). Let it rest for about 5 minutes. These typically take 3–6 minutes in total to reach medium-rare to medium, depending on the thickness.
  9. For thinner cuts (1/2 inch / 1.3 cm or less), flip every 30 seconds and slide the steak around the pan every 15 seconds to move it over hotter spots. Since it’s hard to use a thermometer on thinner pieces, rely on timing instead. These cook quickly: about 60–90 seconds total for 1/4-inch (0.6 cm) steaks, or 2–3 minutes for 1/2-inch (1.3 cm) steaks. Remember to let the steak rest for 5 minutes after removing it from the pan.
  10. Assemble the Skirt Steak Sandwich: Once the steak has rested, slice it very thinly against the grain (see note below). Cut the ciabatta rolls in half lengthwise. Place both the bottom and top halves on a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper. Spread a layer of mustard aioli on the bottom halves, then add the sliced steak. Evenly distribute the caramelized onions and sauteed mushrooms on top, then add the cheese.
  11. Keep the sandwiches open and place them in the oven, as close to the heating element as possible. Bake for about 3–5 minutes, just until the cheese melts and the top halves of the ciabatta toast up nicely. Then spread a little mustard aioli on the top halves, add the arugula, and close the sandwiches. Serve right away while everything’s still warm.

Notes

  • This recipe takes a bit of time, mostly because of the caramelized onions. Classic caramelized onions always take a while, but you can speed things up a little using the water method. If you haven’t tried it before, I recommend watching a short video on the technique. Or, if you’re short on time, you can simply saute the onions over medium-high heat until they soften.
  • I recommend making a larger batch of caramelized onions and sauteed mushrooms. Store them in the fridge or freezer and use them later to make another sandwich (not necessarily with the same ingredients, or even with steak).
  • Properly slicing the skirt steak makes a huge difference in how tender it turns out. Skirt steak has long, visible muscle fibers, and if you slice with the grain, the meat will end up tough and chewy. The trick is simple: always slice against the grain to shorten those fibers and make every bite tender. (See the photo below.)
[caption id="attachment_13714" align="alignnone" width="768"]cut skirt steak against the grain Cut skirt steak against the grain: The yellow line indicates the grain direction, while the red line shows the cutting direction with the knife[/caption]

pan seared skirt steak temperature chart

Find it online: https://steakadvisor.com/steak-recipes/skirt-steak-sandwich/